HSV-1 Test results

[lauren716]

Hello,

I was recently tested for all STDs, because I wanted to screen...not because I had any symptoms of anything. I have never had unprotected vaginal sex, but have had unprotected oral sex with my current boyfriend. All of my tests came back negative except for HSV-1. This was a total shock to me, as I have never had any symptoms or direct exposure that I know of to cold sores. I understand that many people don't have symptoms and that people can be shedding the virus without showing any symptoms.

The nurse from my OBGYN's office called me to deliver the news, and rushed me off the phone so I didn't have a chance to formulate or ask any questions. After researching, I had questions. I started an account at Labcorp.com so that I could actually see my test results. I wanted to know what type of test I had (brand and IgM or IgG), so I could see if a false positive was a possible explanation, and what my actual numbers were. I believe that I had an ELISA test, type specific.

I have been googling (which I know is probably not the best) because I really believe that these test results are inaccurate, and have noticed  that nobody else has posted levels that were as high as mine- could anyone shed some light on these numbers...do they seem abnormally high?

hsv 2 igg, type spec  <0.91   (normal)                  0.00-0.90  
hsv 1 igg, type spec   8.49    (high)                      0.00-0.90 index
hsv i/ii igg   41.1        (high)                                  0.0-0.8 index

Why is the last number (41.1) so much higher than the index? Could it be mistyped? And why is that number (41.1) so much higher than my type specific number?

Thank you in advance for your help

[Fleetwood20]

On the subject of whether your infection is from childhood, perhaps check with your mother, god willing she is with us, as the infection may have been in the period when a significant proportion of people are infected, from six months to three years of age.

Your question about the numbers is not really one I have a lot of information on. Your body makes both general HSV fighting IgG antibodies and some that are type specific. The tests use particular antigens I believe that attract the antibodies and these would be targeted at either the generic or type specific ones. The fact that these are different levels is not particularly a surprise but I am not aware of whether there are 'natural' levels or a discrepancy between generic and type specific. The numbers are also indexes to the cut off level and while related to the level of antibodies may not be directly comparable.

Believe me, there are no silly questions with herpes! It is not likely that the presence of other types of HSV would influence a test greatly. Other proteins in your blood can cause noise and elevated test outcomes, but really only to the low positive level. With your HSV-1 reading, there would be less than a 1% chance that this is a false positive due to cross reactions and noisy proteins.

[lauren716]

Thank you so much for responding to me. I double checked the results, and it is in fact igg levels, NOT igm. I understand that those results( 41.1)  are from a non specific test, but I am just confused why the level is so high and different from the type specific test (8.49) . Do you know if that's common or if it's an unusually high score? Shouldn't they be close, or the same? I'm just wondering because if there was an error putting the combined igg level in, it would make me question the validity of type specific level as well.

I am 100% positive that I have never had a cold sore, not even as a child. What is the likelihood of having hsv-1 and never having a cold sore?

This is probably a stupid question, and will most likely get me laughed off of this message board... but is there a possibility that another infection going on during the time of testing or previous chicken pox infection (and in turn chicken pox
Antibodies) could confuse the test igg levels? I know that chicken pox is a different form of herpes, but could its antibodies confuse the hsv test? Aren't igg levels elevated when you're fighting off other infections as well?

[Fleetwood20]

I agree, the combined test is sometimes performed first and if positive, the type specific tests are then applied. The antibodies to HSV-1 are causing the positive on the IgG 1/2.

Just check a little closer, does that test say IgG or maybe IgM? Either way, your HSV-1 infection is causing the results.

I would believe that you have had an oral HSV-1 infection since before you started school. You may not remember the infection, but you probably had a spell of cold sores while your body built up antibodies that have kept it at bay all the intervening years.

Your bf probably has it too! In this case, there are no practical issues regarding reinfection.

[Life360_Dave]

Hi, whats important is the first two reading which shows positve for hsv1 and negative for hsv2.
The combination is most likely a non specific test performed.